It is truly an honor to be asked to be part of the eulogy for Dr. Vee. I would like to thank Peter and all of his family for allowing me to take part in this event.

I also offer my condolences from all of us who are now working at Karmanos. This is really a celebration of Dr. Vee's life as our leader, our mentor, our friend.

Karmanos was Dr. Vee's home, and the entire organization was really founded in large part from the work of Dr. Vee.

Dr. Vee's work laid the groundwork for our center. He started his medical career when oncology was in its infancy, barely recognized as an independent field of medicine. However, he kept his resolve to build it into the field it is now. He knew this would be the way to improve care for these patients. He held many titles while here, from the chief of Department of Oncology to chairman of Medicine, as well as many others. During this time he was able to bring together a program of patient care directed at aspects of cancer therapy. This included a basic science group, a translational science group, as well as the Michigan Cancer Foundation under an umbrella organization, which became our foundation for our NCI Comprehensive Cancer Center Designation, the first in the state of Michigan.

It was also during this time that Dr. Vee took care of Barbara Ann Karmanos in her courageous battle with breast cancer. It was through a generous donation of her husband, Mr. Peter Karmanos, that we became the Karmanos Cancer Center and Institute.

Though this, Dr. Vee's legacy flourishes. We are really working in the house Dr. Vee built.

All of us have a great deal of admiration and love for him. When I started my training Dr. Vee was already a legend. His leadership, his teaching of oncology, his patient interactions were the reasons myself and many others went into oncology. Larry has already told you of some of his accomplishments, but I would like to focus on his demeanor, his patient care and his position as a role model.

The words you hear to describe Dr. Vee often include "compassion" and "humility." I never saw him angry. I never saw him raise his voice. He treated patients, colleagues, students with compassion and expertise. Patients adored and trusted his manner and the interactions he had with them. He made patients feel comfortable with their devastating disease. He treated every one as an individual.

They all trusted that he would take care them and do the best for them. While rounding on one of Dr. Vee's patient who had pancreatic cancer, the patient told me, "I know Dr. Vee will come up with something to treat this." It wasn't false hope that Dr. Vee gave these patients, it was the realization he would take care of them and do the best for them even if it meant to die peacefully and with dignity.

Many of us here and around the country and world have had our careers shaped by Dr. Vee. He has been a teacher, mentor and colleague. All of us are really Dr. Vee's children. We have had epigenetic changes in our DNA. We owe so much to him and his dedication to cancer care in our community. He became our moral compass. We must continue his tradition of caring for patients, of doing research, of providing the best care in the area. This is the most important thing we must do to honor his life. He showed us the way.

In conclusion, I have spent most of my career in the house that Dr. Vee built. It has been an honor, a privilege and a responsibility to be here. It is said we must stand on the shoulder of giants to move forward. All of us are standing on Dr. Vee's shoulders. We must continue his legacy. His shoulders are strong, strong enough to carry us all.

Thank you.

Joseph Uberti, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor of Internal Medicine
Chief of Division of Hematology